How to de-stress at your desk instantly

How to de-stress at your desk instantly

“I need a break, but I can’t sneak away from my desk right now.”

A full-on power nap isn’t exactly realistic in the middle of your crazy day, but that doesn’t mean some downtime is out of the question. Kate Hanley, author of The Anywhere, Anytime Chill Guide: 77 Simple Strategies for Serenity, suggests a move she calls “head-down time-out.” Stack your forearms on top of each other at the edge of your desk, rest your feet flat on the floor and scoot your chair away from the desk to release tension in the muscles in your back; then rest your head on your arms, just like you did in elementary school. “Any time you put your head down and allow yourself to rest, you give permission for your thoughts to rest and for your pace to slow,” she says.

“My boss is driving me nuts.”

If every time your boss flips the bitch switch you’re tempted to bad-mouth her to your nearest work buddy, listen up: Larina Kase, a business psychologist in Philadelphia and author of The Confident Leader: How the Most Successful People Go From Effective to Exceptional, advises finding that same friend and thanking her rather than gossiping. “Expressing gratitude focuses you on the positive and brings you an instant mood boost,” she explains. Besides, bad-mouthing your boss is just bad form.

“I’m so tired.”

Stress is physically exhausting. For an instant energy lift, try something as simple as swiveling in your office chair, says Hanley. Pick your feet up off the ground, hold on to the edge of the desk with your fingertips and push your chair back. Inhale and swivel to the right, making sure to keep your shoulders facing forward. Exhale and swivel to the left. Doing this for 15 to 20 breaths can loosen the muscles in the back and stimulate the kidneys, which, according to Chinese medicine, are a major source of energy in the body, Hanley adds.

“There’s too much to do.”

Your boss piled on yet another assignment to your already packed day, and you’re not sure where to begin. Sound familiar? Kase recommends waiting a few minutes before you get started. “Find a funny two-minute video to watch on YouTube,” she says. “Stress builds like a snowball rolling down a hill. Taking a break and getting engaged with something humorous breaks this cycle and resets your stress level.” By resetting your stress level, you’ll be better able to tackle your to-do list.

“I can’t get anything done.”

“Anxiety can produce an adrenaline rush, which makes you feel restless and edgy,” says Kase. “Get this nervous energy out by walking up and down the stairs for 10 minutes, and you’ll feel calmer afterward.”

“I’m totally unmotivated today.”

If you need help getting motivated to work on a big project, try a one-minute visualization technique. In your cube, says Hanley, close your eyes and listen to the sound of your breath, which will get your mind ready to concentrate. Then picture yourself performing the tasks you need to do to complete the project, from beginning to end. Try to imagine how you’ll feel when you’re done. “Blazing a mental trail that you have to follow is much easier than kicking your way through the dark,” Hanley says.

“I’m so stressed out, and I just can’t calm down.”

Part of the reason spas are so relaxing is the way they smell. Create your own aroma-therapy experience right at your desk by keeping an essential oil, like lavender, in a drawer. When you start feeling stressed, take a whiff or two. Another trick, says Kase, is to choose a scent that reminds you of a happy time. For instance, you could buy a vanilla-scented oil if it reminds you of baking cookies with your mom as a child. When happy memories are triggered, the mind focuses on a positive feeling, which can improve the moment.